Bhubaneswar: Former minister Snehangini Chhuria has been appointed as the president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD), the women wing of Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.

BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appointed Chhuria as the president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal with immediate effect, said the regional party in a statement today.

The BJD president also appointed altogether 15 women leaders as senior general secretaries and general secretaries (women affairs) of the party.

Former Jagatsinghpur MP Rajashree Mallick, veteran leader Sumitra Jena and Lekhasri Samantasinghar, who unsuccessfully contested last year’s Lok Sabha polls from Balasore seat, have been appointed as senior general secretaries.

Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo, former Jajpur MP Sarmistha Sethi, MLA Barsha Singh Bariha, former minister Padmini Dian and former MLA Dipali Das have been appointed as general secretaries, said the BJD.

Similarly, Shreemayee Mishra, Lopamudra Buxipatra, Minati Behera, Kasturi Mohapatra, Ranjita Sahu and Gitanjali Bastia have been made general secretaries (women affairs), added the party.

In a related development, the BJD supremo has appointed new presidents and working presidents for three district units of the party.

Nrusingha Charan Sahu and Sandip Sarangi have been appointed as the president and working president of BJD Dhenkanal unit respectively.

Former MP Jhina Hikaka is the new president of BJD in Koraput district while Durga Mishra and Prasad Bidika have been made the working presidents.

The BJD president has appointed Jagannath Saraka as the president of party’s Rayagada unit. Gayadhar Pualo and Ranjit Kumar Panigrahi will serve as party’s working presidents in Rayagada.